Cheese is one of the major exports from this tiny town, with exports of the classic round Edam Cheese balls being shipped throughout the world since the Golden Age. There is even a cheese museum there that has a cellar that dates from the 8th century. Learn how they refrigerated their food and kept their produce fresh and always in season with the floating cellar. This house is particularly interesting for its floating cellar, designed to accommodate changes in water level without destabilizing the structure.

Don’t miss out on the famous Edam Cheese Market! This typically takes place in July & August, and has been around since the 16th century! This market happens on Wednesdays from 10:30am -12:30pm. Just to show you how popular this market is here, the most Cheese balls ever sold was 250,000!! So go get your Cheese Ball on! (They are actually called Cheese Rounds, but I just like the term Cheese Balls 😉

In order to export the cheese, you had to have on important component….a way to do it. Shipbuilding is also a major component of Edam’s history and contributed to its prosperity. With these two components, it quickly became one of the most important trading cities in the 17th century.Edam was also one of the cities that helped to protect Amsterdam, take a walk through the old Edam Fort and see how the city was protected.

The Small Things of Edam:

While I was there in November, I didn’t get a chance to see the famed cheese festival, but the streets of Edam are well worth the visit. Full of lovely people who are so helpful and kind. I had a nice chat with a fellow about the cheese, the family business tried a few morsels and took some home with me.

Traveler Tip: Make sure your cheese is sealed nice and tight with shrink wrap, otherwise they may confiscate it on the airplane.

Take a seat at one of their outdoor cafes and sip on some tea. Wander around the cozy streets of these adorable little houses. I felt so at peace in this little town, I wish I could have stayed here longer.

Nearby Activities:

Beyond Cheese, Cheese Museum and the Cheese market – what can the lactose intolerant do? There are several grand adventures nearby, be sure to check out:

Take up a conversation with a local and ask them how long they have been there and if they are in a family home.

Take a seat at one of the tea-houses on Schepenmakersdijk

Bring your tent and pitch it by the water, Edam actually has camping spots!

There may not be as many fantastical things to do in Edam, but I sincerely loved this town and really feel it captures the spirit of what the Netherlands really is with its tiny houses and shops.

How to get there:

Take bus 314 from Amsterdam Centraal Station to Edam Bus station. The buses typically congregate on the top floor and tickets can be bought at the yellow kiosks for a full day trip. If you will be coming back on the night bus, it will cost you more, so be sure to buy a night ticket as well. You can also buy the tickets from the driver as well but need exact change. If you buy the ticket at the yellow kiosks, they do take cards and there is an ATM nearby as well but may not have the best exchange rate. They also have a money exchange window, but hours are variable and they have a terrible exchange rate.If you aren’t headed there from Amsterdam Centraal Station, take a look at Rome2Rio for the best options for your location and situation.

Make it Edam Cheese Please

If you really want to see what the Netherlands looks like outside the city, visit Edam. Fill up on the best Cheese in the Netherlands. With so many flavors, it will be hard not to please even the harshest of critics. I personally recommend the Truffle Cheese, it is scrumdiddlyumptious.

Who are the Jordanian People? I was able to interview a Jordanian friend of mine Mohammad and ask him some very poignant questions about what it is to be Muslim and Jordanian, how to tour Jordan, scams to be aware of and customs that are very unique in their society.

Mohammad: Jordanians are known for hospitality. If you are my guest, I should give you food and sometimes a place to stay for free. Hospitality is like you are my guest. Like I should serve you some food.

Me: How would the people describe where they are geographically in relation to the surrounding countries?

Mohammad: Jordan is next to Palestine or what you know as Jerusalem. It is middle east. The common and well-known thing about Jordan is its safety.

Me:Do you feel that your culture and traditions have changed in any way in the last 10 years?

Mohammad: Yes, back in the day. If you came like a guest, you have to stay at least 3 days, with me providing your stay and food. Now it is a – you can be my guest for one day or a few hours, but it is only because of the financial situation there. It is considered a big shame if you cannot provide for your guest everything that they need and want.

The Right Way to Tour Jordan:

Me: How can we as tourists and visitors help to maintain your culture?

Mohammad: Since you are foreigners, and they don’t know about anything, you should just ask someone & they will explain. Jordanians can talk for hours. Most of them don’t have anything to do, so they like talking.

Me: What are some Festivals that you think are worthwhile for people to visit in Jordan while touring?

Mohammad: Jerash festival – it is Arabic singers and dancing, but you won’t understand anything. We also have the royal car museum in Amman. This is the King’s collection of all kinds of rare and classic race cars. You could come during Ramadan, but most people will be with their families and the shops are all closed during the day.

Me:What about towns that are not well known?

Mohammad:If you go to Irbid, my hometown. My hometown is in the genius book of world records for the town for the littlest villages & quantity of villages – compared to the rest of the world. There are 497 villages in Irbid. The reason is that it is a countryside.

Me: What are the biggest tourist traps you have noticed here?

Mohammad: The tourists get charged waaaayyy more than it costs. Like a taxi costs $2-3 max, but they will charge you $200-$300 for the ride.

Me: If I were to move to Jordan how would you suggest I assimilate to this culture? Are there facebook/Instagram or other internet apps/groups that I could use to integrate myself?

Mohammad:People are nosy, they will be your friend without you trying. They come and ask you all sorts of questions. This is by default, they treat you like family

Me:What is the Language spoken here?

Mohammad: Arabic and some people speak a little English, but everyone is educated. About 80% of Jordan speaks English.

Me: Can you give me some useful words all tourists or those recently moved here should know?

Mohammad:

La = is no

Nam = yes

Assalam Alaikum = Means greetings

Me: What is the best mode of transportation here?

Mohammad: Buses, taxis, or you can rent a car if you are coming as a tourist or if you are a local.

Me: How do you cross the street?

Mohammad: You have to worry about cars, because they will run over your @##.

Breakfast- Commonly people don’t eat much in restaurants, everyone makes their own food every day. Most of the time you eat with the family at home. If you are coming as a tourist, then you eat Schwarma or Falafal Sandwich.

Nightcap (can you buy alcohol from a store?) Yes

Me:What is your favorite local hangout?

Mohammad: Café’s, smoking Hookah, Playstation, Pool for the men. The women go and smoke Hookah together, they visit each other and go to the mall and go to the mall and eat something.

Me:How do you order?

Mohammad:You have the menu in Arabic and English in most cases. The waiter will come to you and you ask for an English menu, it is the same system as here.

Me:How do you tip?

Mohammad: They do not usually tip waiters, but if you want to do it, then 5 Jordanian Dinars is good.

Me: How do you know if service was good?

Mohammad: If he coming and asking if you are ok and keeps checking on you all the time.

Me: Do they typically charge for water or a table?

Mohammad: Yeah, they usually have a bottle of water. They tell you it is free, but they will charge you 1 JD and might even try and charge you for 5 JD. You can ask them about it if you want and see if they will take it off.

Me:If I had a food allergy, are they helpful in telling me about how to order and would they be willing to take it out of my meal?

Mohammad:No, they won’t cook it special for you. Unless you are ordering a sandwich. Most of the food is already cooked and is like a buffet.

Me: What are the Best Hidden gems of Jordan?

Mohammad: Villages and the countryside, go to Irbid, Irbid will always be the best place for me. Everything is green there. Jerash is a good place to go, Ajloun Castle is really nice too.

Me: What are the best historical places to visit in Jordan?

Mohammad: Most tourists go to Petra, Aqaba, and Amman and then they leave. Me: What are the most romantic places to visit?

Mohammad: You can go to a Café or a Park and hang out.

Me:What is nightlife like in Jordan?

Mohammad: Most people go buy Schwarma and eat in the car on the side of the street. You have nice clubs in Amman in hotels, there are even strip clubs there. I don’t know of any places to go dancing.

Me: What are the best places for outdoor adventures and hiking?

Mohammad: They do activities, there are adventure companies that can take you on those things. Most of the time I was working so I don’t know.

Traveler Tip: There are loads of camping spots, rock climbing, and other places to go in both Wadi Rum and near Petra. Please email me at culturetrekking196@gmail.com and I can provide you with some contacts in Jordan that I trust and are reputable.

Me:How to get help should you get in trouble/hurt?

Mohammad: Call 911, same as in the USA

Me: What are a few things you would like to tell anyone who visits Jordan?

Mohammad: It is beautiful, what the f#%* (insert laugh). There is a company, like, Jordan tourism board you know. They have a website visitJordan.com, you have everything you need to know right there. The few places I have heard are really nice are hiking in Mujib preserve area, go to the hot springs, the pink desert, Madaba is the Christian treasure, Mt Nebo and things like this.

Me: Would I be safe traveling as a single woman there?

Mohammad: You might not be single for long if you were over there, but if you covered up properly, you would be safe for sure.

Education Systems in Jordan:

Me: What are the school systems like here?

Mohammad: Elementary we have grades, after KG-1 KG-2, you have the grades when you are 6 years old you go to the real school which is the 1st grade. It is the 1st to the 10th grade. After that, you graduate and go to the next school, High school which is 2 years. After the second year, you have a comprehensive exam which is called the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination. This is after you finish the two years of High School and 10 years of school. Only those who pass the exam with good marks can proceed to a University. We have different majors like if you want to be an engineer or a doctor and you must pass that certificate. My certificate was in Information Technology. If you want to be a doctor, you must pass the Scientific Stream with a score of 95%. That is why the doctors in Jordan are Bad Ass!

Me: Does it cost anything to go to lower level schooling?

Mohammad:No, you just need your birth certificate and your ID. You have to pass each grade otherwise you have to stay in the same grade until you pass it. If your friends pass it, then you have to stay in that grade while your friends move forward. Most likely if you are in Elementry school you will pass through.

The Families of Jordan:

Me:How is the family unit work here?

Mohammad: The Family is a father a mother and children. The family is different. Everyone is family in the city and they visit each other daily if you miss a day your mom will call you. If she calls and you don’t answer she thinks you are dead. (Insert Laugh). Back in the day, they use to have 14-15 kids but now they just have 5-6 because of the financial situation. There are still some like this that can have 27 kids, sometimes it’s the same wife sometimes not.

Me:You can have more than one wife right?

Mohammad: Yeah, you can have up to 4 wives according to Islam. This is a solution for us because of too many single ladies. But the man has to have good health and a good financial situation.

Me:How common is it for someone to have more than one wife?

Mohammad: Now it is only 10-15%, because of the financial situation you know. No money, No honey.

Me: Who wears the pants in the family?

Mohammad: The father, if he is dead then the mother, if neither of them then it is the uncle, then if not then it is the grandpa, if not then the oldest son. For guys and girls, we stay with our parents until we get married, it does not matter how old you are.

Me: Where do the elderly go when they can no longer walk? Who takes care of them?

Mohammad: They stay in the home and EVERY PERSON in the family helps take care of them.

Me: What is the view on feminism, gay, or minorities here? Are they treated equally or do you notice a societal difference in how they are treated?

Mohammad: The transsexual and gay people? It is totally unacceptable, they kick you out and ask you to go back home. They will likely start harassing you and making fun of you. If you want to be a girl and you are the guy then do it by yourself. If you drink then go and hide.

Me: Is having children common here?

Mohammad: If you are married you should have kids. If you don’t and you are a man, then people start asking if something is wrong with you or wrong with your *$%*. If it is the girl that can’t have kids then he can go get another wife, but he will not divorce her unless she asks for it, then she can go do what she needs to.

Me: Do people get maternity leave? How long is it?

Mohammad: Oh yeah, if you are a school teacher, and you are pregnant and give birth then you get 3 months paid vacation.

Me: How many days off a year to people here get?

Mohammad: In the government, they work 5 days and 2 days off. You can take up to 1 month of vacation. You can take 2-3-5 years of vacation unpaid if you want.

Me: Is it common to have one night stands?

Mohammad: No, the man who does that will probably get killed by the girls family. (Laughs)

Me: Are people faithful in general faithful to their spouses?

Mohammad:Well if they have a Sharmuta they will, but no, they are faithful.

Me: Do people commonly show affection for their wife other in public spaces here?

Mohammad: Yes you can, but you aren’t supposed to. It just isn’t a good thing.

Marriage Customs in Jordan:

Me: What age do people here get married?

Mohammad:Until he is done with the University, so usually 25-26, but even then it is only if you have money. So now, due to the financial situation, they are getting married around 30.

Me:Are there customs associated with marriage you would like to share?

Mohammad:

Wear clean good clothes, the guy wears a tuxedo and the girl wears a nice dress. But for those coming for the wedding, you just wear the best you have. You can’t wear shorts though.

If you are interested in a girl, you go and ask the father for her phone number, or whoever is in charge. You must ask her are you single or married. Tell her you would like her phone number. If she says that is ok, then you start spying on her. You ask about her family, who her Parents, her family, her Uncles, and everyone in her family. If you think the family is good, and you like the girl. Then you ask your Dad, and he calls her Dad. Your Dad says “Hey, we are part of this village, we would like to come and drink coffee with you”. The girls Dad says, sure and must say, “You are welcome”. Then the guy must dress good and goes over with his parents. Then they introduce themselves to the girl’s family. The father of the guy should do the talking, the guy shouldn’t do the talking unless he is asked to. This is a tradition to be respectful and listen to the man in charge or try to talk over with him. Then my father says, “We are interested in my son’s hand to your girl’s hand. It is an honor for us to be a part of your family. Here is our phone number, I’m going to call you next week about this. No matter what happens we are still friends”.

When you leave, now this one week gives this time for the family to do an investigation into the man. The main answer will come from the girl. No one can force you or convince you to marry him, it will be up to you. So your family comes back and tells you all the information. Then it is up to the girl if she wants to marry you or not.

If the girl agrees, then her father calls and says come over for coffee. Then I bring my sisters over and then we all talk for real.

Then the girls family starts saying, (for example) “We want a car, we want a house, we want $4,000 gold for the girl”.

Then my family says, “Oh that is too much, we don’t have that, help us out”

Then once conditions are reached and agreed. Then the guy has to set up a blood test to see if our genetics will cause diseases or not (genealogy is too close). If it is not a good result then the family says, “No you can’t marry or you will f*&% the whole family”

If the answer is good, then we do an engagement party. Then they have a party with her friends throw a party for her as a goodbye party.

The wedding is the biggest event. You can go to the house, the tent in front of the house. At the wedding the dance what is called the Dabka. Back in the day they use to shoot guns, and now the laws are changed, and you can’t do that in public. When they are done with the wedding, they drive their cars to the guy’s house. Then they might shoot a couple of AK-47’s and then go inside and lock the house…..Then you know what is going to happen….hehehehe.

Me:Is it common to live together prior to getting married?

Mohammad: No, you aren’t supposed to touch her, kiss her or even hang out with you. If we are engaged, the most I can do is take you out with your brother or sister with you. You can’t be alone. Once the wedding happens, yeah, you can go do whatever.

Me: What is the classic place that people get married here? Why is that culturally significant for the people here?

Mohammad: They get married in a special wedding place, it is a big hall and a lot of people will be there. There will be 500-600 people coming at the very least.

The Politics and Military of Jordan:

Me: What are the common stereotypes that are encountered in Jordan?

Mohammad: Jordanians they say everyone else has a better life than us, lol.

Me: What do they think about Americans?

Mohammad: They think they are smart people and the USA supports their country, and they want to let them know that they are funny, not terrorists, peaceful and very hospitable. They are also very generous with what they have. They also think that if they marry a foreigner then they can get out of the financial situation. They think that people overseas will appreciate the family orientation of Jordanians.

Me: How are refugee’s viewed here and why? What are the major benefits of them being here? What are the major drawbacks?

Mohammad: Refugee’s are welcome anytime anywhere in Jordan. It is a safe place so anyone can come in. They need to live and get jobs, but there are no jobs, not even for Jordanians. This is the thing that killed the financial situation in Jordan.

Me:What are two of the major Political conversations going on right now?

Mohammad: It is all about how high prices are going up.

Me: What are the political parties here?

Mohammad: No, we have a king, we don’t vote for him.

Me: Can you vote and how would you vote?

Mohammad: We vote for representatives that make up the Senate.

Me: Are the citizens allowed to do demonstrations? Who are the people/ages of those that typically do this?

Mohammad:They do all the time, they go burn tires and f*&% up the streets. Usually, it is when the government raises the price of a product and they go and do this.

Me:Is it dangerous for tourists to be a part of these or taking photos of these demonstrations?

Mohammad:No, not at all. It is a peaceful demonstration. (Me: doesn’t sound peaceful..) – That is Arab style, but it is peaceful.

Me: What are the Police and the Military system like here? Do you have confidence that they would protect its citizens in the event of a terrorist attack?

Mohammad: Oh yeah. Well if the terrorist attacks, the local people will defend. The citizens actually have more guns than the police do. They want to help the military, it is not Arab style to just sit and do nothing. Remember in Kerak, there was a problem and the local people had it taken care of before the police even arrived.

Healthcare in Jordan:

Me: How is Healthcare there?

Mohammad:Everyone has Health insurance. You have hospitals and clinics all over the villages, towns, it is everywhere.

Me: If you were sick, how much would it cost you to be treated?

Mohammad: Almost for free.

Me: What could someone expect a local to say if it is not common?

Mohammad: If you are a tourist, they will stare like crazy at you, and say it is ok for your culture.

Me: Is there a class system here?

Mohammad: We have 2 classes, rich and poor, that’s it. If you are rich you generally end up staying rich and your family does too. If you are poor you end up staying poor.

Me: How many languages does the typical Jordanian Person speak?

Mohammad: One, Arabic

Me: What type of calendar system do you use?

Mohammad:Same as the USA

Me:Do you have daylight savings?

Mohammad: Yeah

Religion in Jordan:

Me: Major Religions here? How has that changed over the years?

Mohammad: Islam has been in Jordan forever. We have a lot of Christian people in Jordan. We are a family. Most of my best friends are Christian in Jordan.

Me: Are people generally open to talking about religion or do they just not want to hear anything about it?

Mohammad: Yeah, people in Islam have converted to Christianity, and visa versa & each time they end up getting killed by their families.

Me:How devoted are people here to their religion?

Mohammad:They f#%* around. Most people who drink and smoke and f#%* around are Muslim.

Me: What are the biggest misconceptions people have about Jordanian?

Mohammad: They are serious people who don’t like to laugh, but they are really funny people.

Me: What are your favorite memories in this city?

Mohammad: I dunno, I was born and raised there so everything is exciting for me.

Me:How do you say Thank you in Arabic?

Mohammad: Shukran

Me: Well then, Shukran Mohammad and thank you for the entertaining interview. I have known you for quite some time now, and I have to agree that Jordanians are both funny and infuriating at times.

An Oregon Coast Camping Road trip should be on everyone’s bucket list. There are so many things to see, do and experience it is hard to narrow it down into a week or two. So here are my suggestions for your perfect Oregon Coast Camping Vacation, and my experiences along the road that will help you plan your own.

The Bad Omen:

Omens are a thing of legends and a word often used by mystics in the age of King Arthur, right? Well despite the word being associated with paranoid people and magicians in movies, I am still a big believer in them myself. Case and point number one, my roommate forgot her wallet about 45 minutes after we started on the road. Some may call this an accident, but I jokingly kept saying, ‘ It’s AN OMEN’! When things like this happen, it often puts you on the wrong foot when starting, what is supposed to be, a relaxing vacation. Be sure to check out my Packing Lists to ensure that you will not forget anything you could possibly need, but at the same time, not over pack.

Heading from Salt Lake City Utah, we were able to make a few extra stops along the way to Oregon. Our first stop is the Bonneville Salt Flats.

The Salt Flats:

There are several places among the Salt Flats that you can stop and get stellar photos and selfies. Because we are short were short on time, we stopped at a rest stop with a short 5 foot walk onto the Salt Flats with gentle rolling hills in the Distance.

Photography Tip:

Try to wear monocolor clothing without any wording on it or symbols. In photos it just looks distracting. Don’t wear sunglasses unless they are reflective and you just want the attention to be on your face. Avoid watches as this can also be distracting for the viewer. I personally love to wear flowing dresses here, because it just looks cool when it blows in the wind. Otherwise pair your clothing with something that will contrast to the background. For the Salt Flats, Sunrise or Sunset is the absolute best time to go, the white ground gets very reflective of the sun and can blow out your photo.

After this Quick stop, we were on our way to Tokatee Falls. If you are driving from Salt Lake City on your way to Wendover, this is also a great little stop that is only 1.5 hours away.

Timing Tokatee Falls:

We arrived at Tokatee Falls about 30 minutes before Sunset was complete. We had to do the hike rather quickly, and there are lots of stairs folks. I also had swollen legs from sitting for 16 hours in the car. It made it very difficult to do this trail quickly, this was the first instance I kicked myself for being so out of shape of many on this trip.

Traveler Tip:

To avoid those swollen legs when driving or flying for long distances, compression stockings are a LIFE SAVER! No literally, they are life saving. When I would have patients come into my office with calf pain, one of the first things I ask is if they have done any traveling that required them to sit for long periods of time. The ones who ended up having blood clots in their legs, were often the ones that said yes. I bet you are thinking, ‘Oh, that only happens with old people’…..NOPE…..think again. Some people are more prone to it than others, especially younger people who overload themselves on energy drinks and caffeine to stay awake. No one is immune to blood clots. A good rule of thumb is to get out of the car every hour or two and walk around for at least 15 minutes.

Getting to Tokatee Falls was awe-inspiring and took my breath away. I have never seen a waterfall like this in my entire life. The hike was fairly easy getting there (minus all the stairs). There is a hike that goes by the river, that I spotted plenty of swimming holes. Tokatee Falls itself was a contrast of white and dark, smooth and jagged visual delights. When there are such contrasting elements in one photo, I get very inspired. Views such as this are nourishment for the soul.

Floras Lake State Park

We arrived in Bandon and set up camp quickly in the dark. It is a lot more humid in Bandon than you would expect, so a drop of 15 degrees at night can be the type of chill that sinks into your bones. (I will post some tips on how to stay warm camping in Humid environments on Culture Trekking YouTube Channel, be sure to check it out).

The next morning we were delighted with eggs and toast by Bree’s sister, who lives in Grant’s Pass. We headed to Floras Lake State Park and started a hike that would take us around a lake known for its kite surfing, into an enchanted forest. The forest had moss-covered branches, topsy-turvy turns and truly felt magical. We couldn’t help skipping down the trail singing ‘Lions, and tigers and bears OH MY!’

The trail is best to do in the summer as it is likely a bit drier on the trail itself and covered in shade for most of the journey once you make it around the lake. We decided on doing this in Spring as it would be cooler for the 3 children that accompanied our group. The kids loved this hike, playing among the logs strewn about, and splashing in the lake on the way to the hike. If you look closely in the muddy puddles that dot the trail, you may just spot a Salamander. Bree attempted to kiss it, at her niece’s delight, to see if it would turn into a handsome prince, but alas….it did not. I have taken too many microbiology classes to attempt that, lol, handsome prince or not.

Traveler Tip:

If you plan to go in Spring or Fall, be sure you do this hike in Keens or sturdy watershoes.

After about 2.2 miles the kids started to get tired, the trail was then covered in water and required those without water shoes to start bushwhacking. Those with water shoes were walking through sludgy mud that had pinecones and sticks, fantastic cushioning for your feet. Half of the group turned back at this point and then 0.25 miles later Bree and I were the only ones left on the trail with our dogs.

We hiked another mile or two through the rough conditions & I finally told Bree we had gone too far and I could no longer hear the ocean (our final projected destination). Reluctantly she agreed, and we turned back around to head into downtown Bandon and meet up with the rest of the group.

On our way back to the group (2 miles back), I noticed a metal pole with an indiscriminate trail on our left. I examined this closer, and it was a sign to another trail, I could also hear the ocean at this point. Pointing this out to Bree, she said some things I will not repeat here, and we both yelled our frustrations for the Forest to be witness to.

At this juncture we were both so exhausted we decided not to attempt another trail as our party had already been waiting quite awhile for us and headed into town, grumbling the whole way. If you have problems with tight calves like I do, when you hit the sandy area, walk closer to the shoreline for a more solid surface. It really aided in being able to make it back to the car.

Now, this was the second time I chided myself for my out-of-shapeness. Bree’s sister, however, is an active Triathalon Athlete, and even she was exhausted by the end of this trek. Moral of the story, don’t try hiking in heavily wooded areas without GPS, or something to tell you exactly how far you have traveled. I luckily had my Fitbit on me (not entirely accurate, but good enough of a guess) to tell us we hiked a total of 4.1 miles in 4.1 miles out and a total of 8.7 miles that day……ouch. We visited Cranberries sweets, and the washed ashore gallery that day as well, which are also in Bandon. I will post a full list of activities in Bandon within the next few months.

Bad luck Crabbing in Charleston:

Day three was an exciting day for our group and the kids go crazy seeing us catch crab. We headed over to Charleston to visit Davey Jones locker to get our crab gear and pots.

Traveler Tip:

Arrive early and rent a pot, otherwise you will have to pay $29.95 to buy one. Out of state-vs-in-state licenses are going to be different pricing.

After getting our licenses and crab pots, we headed over to the pier and found there were plenty of people attempting to catch some delicious Dungeness crab. There are guides to show you what kind of crabs you are allowed to catch and which ones you are not. It is based on gender and measurements, you keep the males and their shells must be a certain length from side to side. If you want to watch a show I’m totally obsessed with, Deadliest Catch, you can see how they measure the crabs when they pull their crab pots in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp6ZwaO1Sps&t=4s

Traveler Tip:

The best time to catch the crab is when it has not been raining for several days, and also at the end of summer. (Stay tuned for all the details of how to catch crab, along with more tips and tricks to make it memorable).

I was able to catch one crab for the seven of us for dinner. This was not going to be very filling for all seven of us feasting on one crab. Luckily there are some friendly folks who taught us how to cook our crab, clean the crab and even had a few more crab waiting there for us in the shop at the pier. As far as I could gather, this was the only place that sold crab, and in March of 2018 it was $5.99 per pound and they clean and cook it for you right there. We elected to cook it ourselves back at camp, so they cleaned it for us, put them on ice for us.

The Redemption Meal:

The crab turned out to be delicious! The most delicious crab I have ever had! There is nothing better than getting fresh crab, or fish from the rivers and oceans. We melted our butter over the campfire which gave it a nice smoky taste and then cooked some S’mores to top it off. I called this, the redemption meal because of how good it truly was. Are you salivating yet? If this has tickled your fancy for crab, head over to Whole foods and get your Crabby on 🙂

Witnessing Mother Nature at Shores Acre State Park:

This is the day that we were robbed…..by raccoons. Well, Bree’s Sister was robbed anyway, her food cooler was broken into by Raccoons. The food was everywhere, bags were ripped open and strewn about the camp. None of us thought that Raccoons knew how to open coolers, but apparently, they are evolving and getting smarter. Consider yourself warned!

Bree and I salvaged breakfast with French Toast, Eggs, and Turkey Bacon. The group then headed to Shores Acre State Park. The best time to go here is at High Tide, this way you can see just how powerful the ocean truly is. In spring and summer you won’t be able to witness the full extent of mother nature, but during a Winter Storm….prepare to be awed by the power of water.

There is a small shelter with a viewing platform that you can appreciate just how much the land has changed from the relentless pounding of the sea. Here you will also learn of a logging millionaire that built a mansion on these shores, complete with tennis courts that have since sunk into the ocean. If you pay attention you will see a large slab of concrete peeking out from under a blanket of Ivy that use to be the spot where his tennis courts were.

If you take the trail to the right of the viewing platform you will be able to see these tennis courts. Approximately 200 feet beyond the tennis courts is a unique area filled with, what I call, bubble rocks. These rocks and their current shapes, pockets, and bubble-like appearances were what has been sculpted by the seat itself. explore all the nooks and crannies with your kids or friends and witness the wonder of nature.

Traveler Tip:

One thing I must stress to all my readers is to NEVER challenge the ocean, it will always win. The people in Oregon call those who visit, ‘Flat-landers’, those who come on vacation and do not have a healthy respect for the ocean. Do not travel in Oregon without a Tide Table booklet, these are available at any visitors center or major port city center. You can turn your back on the ocean and the next thing you know, you will be swept out to sea by the ‘sneeker waves’, as the Oregonians call them.

Facerock Wayside Beach and Sandy Labyrinths:

After some downtime after Bree’s sister’s family headed home, we went out to Facerock Wayside Beach for a special experience. I was particularly excited for this adventure. At Face Rock Wayside Beach, you will find a group of individuals that are committed to inner peace, healing and reconnecting with the humans that surround us.

This group was started by a man named Denny, who in an effort to find that inner peace, you started to draw in the sand. Circles in the Sand The drawings soon became large, intricate works of art that were a walking meditation for him. Word grew and soon it expanded into a Community of like-minded individuals who meet on the weekends to take the walk. Each walk has a theme and can be up to 0.5 miles of walking.

There is encouragement given as you decide to take the walk through the circles, to disconnect from the world around you and realize happiness comes not from our electronics but from the peace we find within our own hearts and minds. It helped me recenter my beliefs for our own community, that in order to truly be the change I wish to see in the world, first I need to be happy with myself.

Rain, Snow, Waterfalls, and Racoons:

After heading back to camp from the Circles in the sand appearance, we were enjoying a lazy and euphoric evening. Luckily our dogs were around, the rasciliy raccoon tripped over my tent stake, and triggered Zoey into a barking frenzy. Zoey is my dog that is part Cocker Spaniel, part poodle and definitely loves to chase animals of any kind.

My dog likes to think she is a bear, but in fact is a 16-pound ball of zest and fluff. Zoey pulled the leash right out of my hands and took off into the bushes after what I assumed was a squirrel. She deftly tracked the Raccoon up the tree where it stayed for the next hour with us examining it. This Raccoon was GINORMOUS! The raccoon was easily three times the size of Zoey, and likely had all sorts of creepy critters crawling on it that I didn’t want Zoey to inherit. I quickly gathered her up, calmed her down, took a few photos of the Raccoon, and then packed our own cooler in our car.

We couldn’t do much with our garbage as we had just been headed to bed, so we put the garbage in our extra cardboard box. The next morning we found the garbage bag ripped into, but all garbage was neatly contained in this box. We loaded it, and all our gear up into the car and headed out to Silver Falls State Park.

Haceta Head Lighthouse

Haceta Head is part of an interconnecting network of seven miles of varying difficulty of trails. You can stay in this lighthouse as a B&B, and then traipse down the trails viewing the seals, Eagles, and all wildlife along the trails. Explore the tide pools, go sea glass hunting, or simply enjoy the cool breezes coming off the Ocean.

We spent an hour or two in the area exploring trails and hunting for sea glass. It was o relaxing and wish we would have had more time in this area.

Thor’s Well

This is known as the drainpipe of the sea. This natural sea cave pounded out by the crashing waves is about 20 feet deep (approximately). Then the roof caved in and created an opening that sucked in the sea and pounded it into the floor. Eventually it became known as Thor’s well. Like most everything else in Oregon, this phenomenon is its most glorious at high tide. If you want an even more spectacular show, go at sunrise or sunset as well and get a shot that will shock even the most professional of photographers.

Silver Falls State Park

In checking the weather on the way to Silver Falls State Park, I discovered we were heading to an area where it was actually going to snow. I only own a 3 season tent and was worried about being too cold when we got there, especially Zoey as she doesn’t handle temperatures lower than 45 degrees very well. Luckily Bree was able to reserve a small Yurt or cabin for us for when we arrived at Silver Falls State Park. These are often equipped with an outdoor firepit, picnic table, electricity, beds, and a small heater that really does a stellar job. We were both so happy to have a warm place to dry off our clothes, we stayed here awhile just to enjoy the warmth.

Traveler Tip:

The cabin costs about $61 per night with dogs. At Silver Falls State Park there are only two cabins that are available for those with animals, so be sure to book early.

Many trails within Silver Falls State Park do not allow animals on them (for unknown reasons other than water contamination). So renting a cabin is a great way for you to put the pooches in a warm area that is contained and protected from visiting wildlife. Our first stop was to South Falls, the most iconic waterfall of the entire park. This towering monstrosity drops 177 feet (53.95 meters) into the River below. There are several different areas to take iconic photos, the first being at the top of the viewing platform. This is a platform where you can park your car and walk to the edge of the stone shelf and take a photo. The other photo areas are along the trail itself, with one location before the bridge, and one location on the bridge itself.

From the bridge you have several options:

1- Continue along the trail that will bring you to a total of 10 different Waterfalls, each with its own unique appearance. 2- Take the trail up, around, and behind the waterfall. This is the option we chose as we were running out of daylight. Hiking behind the waterfall was not like anything I have experienced. The sheer drop of the water into the river below sends reverberating sounds into the caverns that you hike through. It truly is an experience like none other, as these sounds are so loud you can hardly hear yourself speak and feel the thunder sink into your chest. We stayed behind the waterfall for some time, getting soaked from the spray of the waterfall and the rain that had begun for the evening. I wanted to stay there forever, just watching the mesmerizing fall of the water into the river below.

Traveler Tip:

Bring a Poncho with you, or a garbage bag that you can drape over yourself to help you from getting soaked. If you are taking photos, make sure that your camera is either waterproof or has a protective covering like a shower cap on it to help keep out the majority of the spray from the waterfall.

Giants, Elves, and getting lost in Ferngully:

Leaving the warmth of that cabin was entirely too difficult. I wanted to stay and explore all the waterfalls within Silver Falls State Park! Alas, our itinerary did not allow for enough time to explore properly. If you want to properly explore Silver Falls State Park, make sure you allot for AT LEAST 4 days in this park. Loading up our gear, and our pups, we headed to Willamette National Forest to hike the Tamolitch Blue Pool Trail.

When we arrived at this trail, we were both greeted by a place that looked as if fairies would live here. This hike tracks the river for about 2.0 miles up to a spectacular Blue Pool of water fed by the McKenzie River. We assumed that it would be easy for us to spot, but after hiking for what seemed like ages, we ran out of time and ended up turning back. We did not have GPS, nor did our cell phones have service to let us know where we were.

After coming back home we realized we were 0.25 miles away from where it actually was. I don’t believe that trail is only 2.5 miles though personally, my Fitbit said I had gone 3.92 miles by the time we turned around. We were extremely disappointed about missing this feature as this is a very popular trail. Be sure you explore the Tamolitch Blue Pool Trail on Google Maps and drop the little man to see what it looks like on a normal day. There are several areas that appear to be the right spot, but alas are no.

The trail was not a total loss for me, I had no idea what we were hiking towards, so wasn’t really disappointed when we had to turn around. The trail was absolutely stunning! There was moss over EVERYTHING and the areas that you could see the river were breathtaking. When I visit Oregon again, I will definitely have to do this trail again as I really enjoyed just playing in this forest that looked like I was walking in Ferngully.

The Hot Spring that Isn’t So Hot:

Hiking 6-8 miles a day for me is a big deal, I have a typical desk job that I sit for most of the day taking care of my patients. Needless to say, my body hurt by day 6 and I was ready for a nice soak in a boiling Hot Spring. Heading to Bigelow Hot Springs after our failed attempt at reaching the Blue Pool. Parking the car in a nearby parking slot, we headed back across the road and to the left trail along the bank of the river.

The Bigelow Hot Springs was only a 0.1-mile trek in if that. Make sure you come with water shoes because the rocks are not friendly on bare feet. This Hot Springs I feel was very deceiving in many ways. When you first see it, it is on the right-hand side of the river with rocks that form a sort of hot tub appearance. The bank of the river is 12 inches away from this Hot Spring and would be fantastic in the Summertime.

There was steam coming off the top of the water and my excitement level peaked because I thought for sure it was going to be piping hot. I peeled off my clothes with my swimming suit underneath I fumbled my way across the rocks and into the pool, anticipating delicious warmth from the frigid cold air. I was sorely disappointed at the initial dip of my foot but wanted it to be warm so badly I decided to venture further into the pool. There was no area of this Hot Spring that was an actual HOT spring, it was more like a tepid bath……highly disappointing.

We only stayed in the bogus Bigelow Hot Spring for about five minutes. If you were to come in the summertime it would be fantastic though. The spring would be tepid enough to not overheat you, a good place to wash off the grime of camping and lounge by the river. In the Spring and Fall getting out of this spring will be frosty, not to the point of snot-sickles.

Whatever part of your body you decide to immerse in the water will quickly become numb upon emerging from the spring. Cougar Hot Springs is the better Hot Springs as it is so hot, that you have to experience it in small doses. Unfortunately, the road was closed due to a rock slide and we could not safely reach it according to the Willamette National Forest Service Website. Make sure to check conditions of roads prior to visiting the different areas in the Pacific Northwest as the road conditions are dynamic. If you want to check out other Hot Springs in Oregon, check out the Oregon Hot Springs Website, for the information you will need about the different Hot Springs.

A Perfectly Picturesque Conclusion with Sand dollars:

There are not many people that know about this beach, and I hesitate to share this with you because it is so fantastic but come on, I have to share it with my Culture Trekking Crew! It is marked as just a Picnic area in Crescent City, but is a beach full of Sand dollars!

If you go at low tide earlier in the day you will see that the beach has sand dollars. When Bree told me about this I imagined a beach with all the Sand dollars in perfect condition lining the Beach. When you actually get there, you have to look for the Sand dollars. I would suggest going close to the waterline and looking for white pieces.

If you find a greenish looking Sand Dollar, please put it back as this is still alive sand dollar. There will be broken ones and whole ones of the white Sand dollars, these are ones that have already died. We went at low tide later in the evening and it looks like people had already picked the beach for the whole sand dollars.

The sunsets here are amazing and would suggest you take a picnic and enjoy it as a perfect ending to your trip along the Southern Oregon Coast.

The Lessons Learned for our next Oregon Coast Camping Trip:

Overall the trip was an utter success, with many memories that will stay with me for a very long time. Some things that I took away from this trip that I would do differently for next time: get a paper map for any trails we go on, get a GPS device, bring more sweaters, allow more time for enjoying the journey, and don’t try to take a dip in the hot springs when it is 45 degrees outside and you can’t defrost in a hot shower afterwards.

Make sure to check out my car camping list for any items you may need for your trip. This list will continue to be honed down and carefully crafted to help you travel. I will also be posting detailed videos of my experience & crucial information for your trip on the Culture Trekking YouTube Channel, be sure to subscribe and stay tuned.

Top Highlights of our Oregon Coast Camping trip were definitely Silver Falls State Park, Tokatee Falls, and the Sand Dollar Beach. As always my friends: Happy Travels, Happy Tales, and see you on the Flipside.

How many times has your Mom told you that you need to be careful? Well in this case she is right, Hiking in any terrain can be hazardous if you don’t have at least a basic knowledge of safety tips for hiking. Here are my own top 15 safety tips for hiking that I personally utilize when I go out on an adventure.

Tell Someone Where You Plan To Hike

Tell someone where you intend to go with a map of stops you plan to make and where you plan to park. Leave some dirty laundry for the dogs to sniff should you get lost. I know this sounds really silly, but living so close to the Wasatch Front Mountains in Utah, we hear about people being lost, falling off trails all the time. Despite avalanche warnings, the high river swells, and inclement weather – there is always the ONE person who doesn’t listen or thinks it does not apply to them.

Wear Bright Colors When Hiking

Wear bright colors so you can easily be spotted, for winter avoid light colors as it can blend in with the snow. Summertime wear a reflective vest. If you haven’t seen the movie 127 hours, you should. It takes place in Utah, and the guy made all the wrong choices when it came to safety. The only thing he had going for him was to cut off his arm after being pinned in a crevice.

Stay On the Trail and Set A ‘Turn Back Time’

Stay on the trail and set a time limit for your final destination or turn back spot. Even if you don’t make it to the final destination it is better to be safe rather than sorry! I get lost incredibly easy due to my inability to tell if I’m headed North or South etc… I always stay on a known trail that has a name and try to stick to the well worn or trampled trail as I know I will always be able to turn around and go back.

Bring Water and/or a Water Filtration System With You

Bring a Lifestraw or a camelback with the water you will need, a snack and an emergency blanket should you find yourself lost overnight. A flashlight can also serve as a beacon should a helicopter be flying overhead at night. I like to bring flashlights that are manually charged in addition to my headlamp. This way if your batteries on your headlamp were to go out, you could still manually charge the handheld flashlight.

Bring a First Aid Kit

Bring a small first aid kit complete with Band-Aids and a sling. The classic triangle sling or even a bandana can be used to create a tourniquet. This will account for the more serious injuries and small cuts or blisters. Band-Aids for the blisters and minor cuts, a snake venom kit should you be hiking in the bush or the desert. Check local hospitals if snake bites are common and where the nearest facility is with anti-venom. I know that in Utah, we have to be careful in the summertime when the snakes are more active. Do not bring your pets on trails that warn of snakes on the trail as this can make them more defensive and likely to attack. I also like to bring along my trusty Swiss Army Pocket Knife…..I always say, “You can never go wrong with a bandana, pocket knife, and duct tape”.

Wear Sun Protection

Wear Sunscreen, especially at higher elevations as Sunburns are often more likely to happen. I have seen skin cancer cases that have left my patients disfigured and debilitated, some even that have progressed to melanoma. So do yourself and your loved ones a favor, wear at least an SPF rating of 30 with a hat. If you have a bald head, don’t forget to cover that up & put sunscreen on your ears, neck, and chest. Wear sunglasses that have full coverage of UV rays.

Heat Stroke And Dehydration Precautions

Know what Heat Stroke and Dehydration look like, and what the best way to treat it in the wilderness is. Check weather patterns and never start a hike that looks like there will be lightening, when you are on the side of the mountain, you may as well put a target on your back that says, ‘hit here first’.

Wear Supportive Shoes

Wear shoes that are supportive and slightly above the ankle joint. I have seen so many broken ankles over the years, and not from just missing the curb. You can be hiking along, hit a rock in just the wrong way. Your balance can be thrown off, you try and catch yourself, and *SNAP*, 4-6 months on crutches. Depending on where you break your bone will determine if you need to have surgical intervention. So be careful people, as much as I like doing ORIF’s of the Ankle, it is miserable for the one getting it done to them.

Wear Proper Clothing

Moisture-wicking clothing and cotton clothing that is UV resistant. A good rule of thumb is that if you can see light through your clothing, so can the sun. Even in the Summer months, a fleece sweater stuffed in the bottom of your rucksack is a good rule of thumb. If someone was to sustain a bad fall and go into shock, having an extra layer around can save someone’s life.

Use Common Sense

Don’t take people up on dares of ‘Who can climb that shale 80% grade to the top of the mountain the fastest and not fall off the sheer cliff’. I feel this is more common sense than an actual safety tip. However, my six years in the operating room taught me one thing, common sense is not so common.

Have a Contingency Plan for if You Get Lost

If your situation is really dire, start making signs pointing to where you are with twigs or rocks along the trail. This way if someone is coming to look for you they have a way to track you down.

Remember that the Sun rises in the East and sets in the West. This can give you a little more direction.

If you find a river or a water source, it will typically lead to civilization. This is my personal observation because of how most of the towns we know today are centered around a water source. It may be difficult to follow the water source directly, but following the sound of the stream or river to the collection pools/lakes is also a good idea. This will also provide a large open area for people to more easily spot you.

Know Your Limitations

Know your physical limitations! When hiking with other people, I have had to teach myself to listen to my body and what it is telling me. Only the best hikers and climbers in the world can make it to the top. You have to listen to your body, pace yourself and enjoy the hike, you don’t have to sprint up the trail! STOP when you feel like you have run out of half of your energy stores.

Pack a Snack

Keep plenty of water and energy supplying snacks in your bag. Your body needs nourishment, not junk food. I always keep dried fruit in my bag along with some carrots. These do not need to be refrigerated, don’t get smashed in my bag and are lightweight. If you feel yourself start to get tired (I’m not talking muscle burn) snack on the energy supplies you brought. I always know when I need a snack because I suddenly feel like I need to lay down under the nearest tree and take a nap.

Bonus!

Make sure to check yourself and your dogs for ticks and any creatures that may want to hitch a ride home with you.

Safety First

So there you have it! These are my Top 15 Safety Tips for Hiking. If all else fails, just remember that panicking never helped anyone. My Grandma always tells me that, “worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair, rocking back and forth all the time, but never really going anywhere”.Most of all, have fun and enjoy nature, but please don’t try to conquer it. Mother nature is both a beast and a beauty, she will always win and bites hard with a sure finality if you try and challenge her.

Do you have any tips on how to hike without GPS?

What about if your GPS fails in the middle of a hike?

Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts!

Happy Travels, Happy Trails, and see you on the Flip Side 😉

Disclaimer: Please consult your Primary Care Physician before attempting any strenuous activity. Train properly for each trail you are attempting to hike. Check AllTrails.com for GPS coordinates, difficulty level for each trail and the conditions of the trail. If you are hiking in a national park, check with the local ranger station on trail conditions or warnings for the area.

Moab, Utah is known for being an adventure lovers playground. River rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, and being so close to not one but TWO National Parks with fantastic views, there is SO much to do! But the national parks don’t allow dogs on their trails, I haven’t gotten around to teaching my dog to ride a bike, she doesn’t have the opposable thumbs necessary for rock climbing, and I don’t think the river guides would appreciate my dog’s nails and teeth on their inflatable raft… so what about for those who want to bring their furry friend along on their trip to Moab? Never fear! There is still PLENTY for you and your dog to do and see! Here is a comprehensive guide to a Dog-Friendly Moab.

Let’s start with the Dog-Friendly Hikes:

Dead Horse Point State Park:

Culture Trekking in the Netherlands

Shade: Little to none

Water: they have to have it brought in by water truck from Moab, so just plan on bringing your own.

While you may not be able to get into Canyonlands National Park with your dog, just a few miles before you reach the Island in the Sky district of the park. There is a small State Park with absolutely STUNNING and dramatic views from above of the Colorado River. Though its name doesn’t inspire these types of images, don’t be deceived: Dead Horse Point State Park is absolutely breathtaking and has 7 miles of different hiking trails (all of them flat and easy to traverse) with both you and your dog.

Dotting the path are informational signs, learn about the geology and plant life of the park. I slept peacefully that night after hiking and meeting my “learn something new every day” quota.

The park’s facilities include a visitors center, two restrooms (with plumbing!), and even a small coffee stand outside. Two campgrounds, one which includes yurts, you can reserve your spot and view the night in style. With this park being a “Dark Sky” certified park, consider staying the night to go stargazing, see the Milky Way, and watch for shooting stars. This is a popular park so reserve your accommodation early. There are several first come, first serve spot in one of the nearby Cowboy or Horsethief BLM campgrounds. Just make sure to keep your dog on a leash while in the park. So take that National Park dog haters!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WasYs7Obh4This trail starts from a well-marked parking area next to the Colorado River. It immediately takes you up a few switchbacks to climb up onto the landing where you will get a great view of the river and the canyon. Cross the railroad that goes through a short stretch of a man-made slot canyon (very Instagram worthy!).

Follow the rock cairns to help keep you on the path. Eventually, you will come to a section where both you and your dog will have to channel your inner mountain goat to climb up to the next shelf. But don’t worry! There are foot holes carved into the rock and a rope to help you up. With a little encouragement and coaching your dog should be able to get to the upper level just fine.

At the top of this shelf, you will be able to see both Corona Arch (right) and Bowtie Arch (left upper). Make sure to hike all the way under the arch, it will give you a better perspective of the epic proportions of this free-standing monolith.

Traveler tip: A lot of this hike is over slickrock, which is really good at reflecting heat. This is a great hike during colder months for this reason. During the hotter months, be sure to do this hike earlier on in the morning and bring LOTS of water for you and your dog!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT_EO2KsPdQAcross the street from the main parking area for Corona Arch, there is more parking, picnic pavilions, and an outhouse toilet. There are no garbages at the trailhead for doggie bags, so please be considerate: pick up after your dog and just take it with you to dispose of later.

Traveler Tip: In the Big Bend campsite across from the trailhead (next to the river), there is a dumpster where you can take your trash and dog droppings.

Morning Glory Natural Bridge:

Length: 4.3 miles round trip

Difficulty: Easy

Elevation Gain: 416 ft.

Shade: Morning and evening shade

Water: a stream your dog can drink from

Starting in the parking area next to the Colorado River, this trail follows a stream up a lovely little side canyon. This canyon is formerly known as Negro Bill Canyon, now Grandstaff Canyon. You can enjoy the dramatic red cliffs on both sides as you listen to the birds sing, the gurgle of the stream, and walk under some the of trees that have taken advantage of the little water source. You do cross the stream a couple of times, so unless you and your dog have some acrobatic balancing skills to jump from rock to rock, just expect to get your feet wet.

When you come to the point in the trail where the canyon forks and goes two separate ways, go to the left. The first time I hiked this trail, I got confused and started to climb up, following what looked like a path (probably made by many other confused souls like myself). Just stay down below and follow the stream. At the second fork of the canyon, go right to reach this canyon’s dead end and see Morning Glory Natural Bridge, with the 5th longest span in the world! When you get there, you will be treated to a large, deceiving arch with a spring feeding a little pool directly underneath it.

You can sit there to relax and enjoy the sites and sounds echoing around the dead end of the canyon. At times, you’ll even be able to watch people rappel down between the bridge and the cliff into this little oasis. But be aware of your surroundings! There is poison ivy included in the plant life in this area. Not a ton, but enough you should be aware of the plants so you and your dog can avoid touching it. Just remember: leaves of three, let it be!This is a popular hike and the main parking area isn’t that big, but there is some overflow parking down and across the street a short way. There is an outhouse-like toilet, no plumbing in the main parking area. And while there are no garbages in the actual parking areas of the hike, next to the overflow parking area is a campground where there is a garbage to throw out your doggie bags.

Poison Spider Dinosaur Tracks and Petroglyphs:

Length: 0.3 mile loop

Difficulty: Easy

Elevation gain: 68 feet

Shade: none

Water: none

Although this is a short hike, it is well worth it for you and your dog. This trail has lots of history includeing the writings of an ancient people and tracks left behind by the dinosaurs that used to roam this area. Against the red rock, both the petroglyphs and the tracks are easy for you to see. Just be prepared to climb up to see both the tracks and petroglyphs. As you start, it won’t be far until you come across the Dinosaur tracks.

The slab of rock they are on has fallen from above where the petroglyphs are, so keep going to see the petroglyphs and a few more tracks. There are informational signs by both sites where you can read more information about what you are seeing. An outhouse is available here, but no garbage cans.

Fisher Towers:

Distance: 2-3.9 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Elevation Gain: 1,459 feet

Shade: Morning

Water: none

This hike is about a 25.5-mile drive outside of Moab, but worth it to see these unique rock formations. The drive itself is pretty spectacular as you are driving through the canyon on Scenic Byway 128. With the Colorado River on your left and the dizzying red cliffs on your right, you’ll wish you were the passenger in the car so you can just enjoy the scenery!When you get to the trailhead, you will be able to see Fisher Towers immediately. The best perspectives, and viewpoints to really be able to appreciate that enormity of these natural structures comes when you hike the trail itself.

Traveler Tip: Make this hike the ‘go to’ hike if someone in your party is too tired, or has physical limitations. It is a great spot to have a picnic with great views – and provides a fantastic trail for those who want to keep pushing themselves.

The beginning of the trail is a bit deciving because you have to begin the trail heading away from Fisher Towers, down into a canyon, and then turning back towards the Fisher Towers. Three-quarters of the way up the trail, you will get the full perspective of just how massive the Titan (the larger of the Fisher Towers) truly is. At this point you can continue on to the end of the trail where there is another viewpoint of the valley and an ampitheater like rock formation; or you can turn back to head to your next unique adventure. If you are lucky, you may see some rock climbers attempting to conquer the Titan – it is a very popular climbing right of passage.Facilities available: An outhouse is available but no garbages. There is also a picnic area/campground near the beginning of the trail. It is a BLM campground so, don’t expect water or hookups to be provided.

Jeep Arch (also known as Goldbar Arch):

Distance: 4 miles round trip

Difficulty: Moderate

Elevation gain: 944 feet

Shade: Evening

Water: none

Jeep Arch Hike is a unique advneture that not a lot of people know about. About a half mile down the road from the Corona Arch, there is a pull-out on the right side of the road. There is no sign to indicate it is the beginning of the trail, but once you park, go through the culvert that leads under the train tracks.

You will see a sign on the other side of the culvert that indicates the beginning of the trail for Jeep Arch. The trail leads you up and to the left. The first 1/8th of a mile of the trail is uphill to get you up on the shelf. After that, the trail is well marked with cairns. About a mile into the trail, there is a sign indicating the trail becomes a loop. You can go either way and it will take you uphill to the arch. If you go to the right, the uphill route is more gradual. To the left, the climb up is steeper and in between the split rocks shown in the picture, but once you do, the rest of the hike to the arch is flat. Either way you go, you can hike through the arch to complete the loop, or just hike back the way you came.

This is a great trail to get away from the crowds! I hiked this trail in February, and for the whole hike, I only saw one other person on the last 1/4 mile of the trail. Otherwise, I was able to just take my time and enjoy the quiet solitude of the desert.

Travler Tip: Like the Corona Arch Trail, the majority of this trail is on slickrock which makes it really good at reflecting the sun’s heat. This makes it a great trail for hiking in the winter, but take that into consideration when hiking in summer: hike early in the morning and bring lots of water.

There is no garbage can at the trailhead to place your dog’s waste, but since it is so close to Corona Arch and the Goldbar Campground, you can go ahead and use the campground garbage. You can use the toilet facilities at the campground area as well.

Hunter Canyon:

Distance: 3 miles round trip

Difficulty: Easy

Elevation gain: 164 feet

Shade: most of the day (except midday)

Water: Yes. a stream for your dog to drink from (for most of the year)

To get to this trail, on the way from Moab, keep an eye out on your right-hand side for a big boulder with some fencing around it and make sure to stop! This rock is covered in petroglyphs, including the famous Birthing Scene! It’s fascinating to think about the people who engraved their stories into the rock! Who was the lady in the depiction? Was she or her baby a really important person in the tribe? Or was this just a proud father carving a family portrait? I don’t know, but I wish I did! Oh to be a fly on the…..rock?The parking area for this hike is the same parking area for the small campground that is right at the beginning of the trailhead. As you begin hiking up the canyon from the campground, you’ll be hiking among some of the vegetation that grows along the stream.. You’ll criss-cross the stream a few times and there are some opportunities for you to scramble up huge slabs of sandstone. About a half of a mile into the hike, make sure to look up and to the right to see Hunters Arch. Hiking in this canyon, with its huge, sweeping cliff walls and its stream and vegetation is what makes this a great hike for you and your dog to take.There is an open-air style bathroom with no door on it, just a sign to indicate if it’s occupied or not. There is also no garbage so be prepared to haul our your dogs mess out with you.

Mill Creek Falls:

Photo courtesy of The Outbound Collective

Distance: 0.5-7.5 miles round trip

Difficulty: Moderate

Elevation Gain: 629 feet

Shade: yes

Water: Yes. a creek for your dog to drink from.

Moab in the summer gets HOT! Hiking in summer, of course you are going to be doing most of your hiking in the mornings and in the evenings where the temperatures of the day are coolest, but what about those blistering afternoons? Well because of the waterfalls and swimming holes on Mill Creek Falls Trail, this is a great option to still get some hiking in and take a dip in the cool, refreshing water flowing straight from the La Sal mountains!The start of this hike is just outside of Moab. Getting out of the car, and starting along the trail, it won’t take you very long at all to get to the first swimming hole and waterfall (man made). If you are looking for just a quick dip to get cool, go ahead and spend some time here to cool off a bit. Make sure to keep going up the canyon, you will find more swimming holes, waterfalls, and see some native american petroglyphs on the cliff side.

Post Hiking Puppy Care:

Moab Barkery:

I don’t know about your dog, but mine LOVES to play in the dirt and sand! After a long day of hiking in and around Moab, I knew if I wanted my pooch anywhere near my sleeping situation; I would have to give her a bath and wash out all of the red dirt she had collected in her fur.I tried to wash her off in the hotel tub the first night, but it was a near disaster as she was all over the place! I could barely get her clean enough to call it good enough before she jumped out and tore all over the room in her after a bath frenzy… then there was the wet dog smell that lingered for a long time afterward. So the second day, I decided to give the Moab Barkery a try.

The Moab Barkery is a pet shop in Moab that includes 2 dog baths (one walk-in, one raised) where you can wash off all that Moab dirt. For my 45 lb pooch, it cost me $15 and they provided the apron to save my clothes, bath, shampoo, conditioner, combs/brushes, ear drops, cotton balls, and dryer to dry her off when she was all clean.Oh my goodness, it was so much easier! I was able to save my back and bathe her in the raised tub, with a special leash so she couldn’t move around all over while I was giving her a bath. The shampoo and conditioner were very nice smelling and made it easy to brush her out afterward. I was able to dry her out with the dryer. They even have some special supplies there 😉 I was able to buy my spoiled pooch a treat and a new toy. All in all, my puppy and I had a great experience here!

Moab Bark Park:

We had spent all of the morning and afternoon hiking around Moab. Finishing around 4 pm, I knew I wouldn’t have time to complete the next trail I had wanted to do before sunset. I dog tired (pun intended), but I wasn’t ready to call it a day quite yet. I knew Moab had a dog park so I looked it up: I found out it’s open from dawn until dusk so I decided to go and let my puppy get the rest of her energy out before we went back to the hotel.

It is a large space with two enclosed areas: a smaller one for dogs up to 30 lbs, and another, larger one for everyone else. It was all red dirt which I didn’t love, but my puppy sure did! There were plenty of other dogs there for her to frolic with. Several poop stations are available with bags to clean up your dog’s waste. There is also a puppy watering station where for a drink break between play sessions. My sweet dog was exhausted after playing so hard at the Bark Park. We both slept like the dead once we got back to our Hotel.

Dog-Friendly Hotels:

When I first got my puppy, I didn’t think about the fact that my accommodation options would become more limited. My first trip to Moab I researched hotels with the “pet-friendly” filter on. The frustration quickly mounted, when I would call to double check they would allow my pooch to come and they said they didn’t allow dogs.

As a result of that frustration, I called quite a few of the hotels/motels/etc in the Moab area and asked them three things: 1. If they allowed dogs 2. if they had a fee for pets staying 3. what their cheapest off-season rates were versus their most expensive in-season rates.

The result of that effort is what follows: (USA Country phone code is +1)Dog-friendly Hotels:Pet Fee:Price Ranges(Off/On-season)

So when you decide to visit Moab with your furry friend, be sure to make your hotel reservations early, bring your poop bags and water for your pooch, bring your camera, and experience Southern Utah, like never before.